Beginning this fall, Lyon College will offer a minor in Animal Behavior, the Batesville-based school announced Thursday. It’s the state’s first such program, and another step in Lyon’s efforts to become a go-to school for students looking to pursue careers in the veterinary and zoology fields.
Arkansas colleges and universities have had multiple animal science programs for a while now, but most of those emphasize animal husbandry — “nutrition, milk and meat productions, breeding and management,” a press release from Lyon College said.
The new minor will include core courses focusing on animal behavior and biology, with elective courses in Evolution, Zoology, Parasitology and Comparative Physiology.
The minor will be helpful to anyone planning a career in biological research or conservation, the college said. “In courses such as Primate Perspectives on Behavior and the Brain, students conduct their own independent research projects,” said Lyon College psych professor Britt Florkiewicz said. “Some students have even presented their work from this class at research conferences and submitted their final projects for publication in scientific, peer-reviewed journals. For those who wish to pursue graduate education, demonstrating research excellence will help them stand out as applicants.”
